- My assessment is that it has increased. I am getting more and more indications and reports that there will be more and more, says Jörgen Svensson, security manager at the University of Gothenburg.

He says he shares the picture with colleagues at the university, who all feel that the amount of threats and hatred towards researchers is increasing. But the university has not provided statistics on this, and there can also be a large number of blacks, which it is difficult to grasp.

Now Jörgen Svensson wants to get a clearer picture of the situation.

"This should not be a daily occurrence for a researcher, but it must be reported further so that we can handle it and take action," he says.

The security coordinator at Chalmers, Erik Eliasson, also has the image that net hatred towards researchers has increased.

"It's a problem and it has escalated over time," he says.

He mentions a project last year in which researchers at Chalmers analyzed the life cycle of studs in tires, and among other things looked at the consequences for miners in Congo-Kinshasa. There were about ten letters to Chalmers.

- There were rather unpleasant letters, mainly e-mails, with racist and diminishing statements.

How do you look at this?

- It is terrible that we receive letters that risk influencing researchers to choose less controversial topics, says Erik Eliasson.

Something that his colleague at the University of Gothenburg, Jörgen Svensson, agrees with.

- Researchers are considering, more or less consciously, whether they are going to research in certain subjects. And if an external force decides it, then it is a question of democracy, says Jörgen Svensson.

SVT reported · Have you been exposed to hatred or threats at work?

Feb 22, 2019

Thanks for all the comments. This chat is now closed.

SVT · Cecilia Forsell

Feb 22, 201908.10

Hey, have you ever had to endure hatred or threat in your professional role? Here you can share your experiences. You are also welcome to email us your story: vast@svt.se.

SVT · Anna Wikman

Feb 22, 201909.28

Yes.

Mister X

Feb 22, 201909.50

Yes as a professional, both by colleagues and managers but also by outsiders as passing road users and others who are annoyed by the work that disturbed them. Being affected and blaming yourself like a bully takes hard. Worked in the construction industry where a culture of silence around these issues is the norm. "A little to endure"

And Blame Me Myself.

Feb 22, 201909.50

The job ???

supine

Feb 22, 201909.50

Every year I worked.

MR Y

Feb 22, 201909.50

I wanted to do my job in an honest and good way. But since the tradition was that you would cheat on everything, it became unbearable for me, I was frozen out of the community.

J

Feb 22, 201909.50

Threats have been my everyday life, most of which I received a lot of threats each day for a long period.

Any

Feb 22, 201909.50

Yes, when I worked as a teacher and educator. A big problem was when I worked with labor market training and sent threatening students back to the Employment Service. They were all returned to the course.

Lars

Feb 22, 201909.50

Yes, many times when I worked as a teacher and educator.

Lars

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